Antifriction bearing seal



Filed Oct. 27. 1950 //\/v/\/ TO 12,; F IG 3 #1 Q SAMUEL 1%. LARGE,

H/5 ATT NE)? United States ANTIFRICTION BEARING SEAL Samuel R. Large,Bristol, Conn, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Web, acorporation of Delaware Application October 27, 1950, Serial No. 192,4101 Claim. (Cl. 236-5) This invention relates to bearings and particularlyto a seal for closing the space between a pair of relatively rotatableantifriction bearing members and which maintains a lubricant within thebearing and also prevents the entrance of water and other deleteriousmatter into the bearing.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved easily constructedseal of few parts for closing the space between relatively rotatablemembers as antifriction bearing race rings, to maintain lubricant in thebearing and to exclude foreign matter from the hearing.

A further object is to provide an improved seal in unit-handlingrelation with a pair of relatively rotatable members such asantifriction bearing race rings and which will. maintain an eliectivesealing relation even under conditions of misalignment.

To these ends and also to improve generally upon devices of thischaracter, this invention consists in the various matters hereinafterdescribed and claimed. in its broader aspects, the invention is notnecessariiy limited to the specific structures selected for illustrativepurposes in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a cross sectional view' of a portion of an antifrictionbearing illustrating two related forms of my sealing devices; 7

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross section of a bearing showing the methodof assembly of one of the sealing devices with the bearing; and

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of a portion of an antifrictionbearing illustrating two other related forms of my sealing device.

Generally considered, my sealing device, as It), seals an end of anannular lubricant chamber 12 between relatively rotatable members, asantifriction bearing inner and outer race rings 13 and 14 provided withthe usual raceways that receive rolling elements, as balls 15, guided bya cage 16. A pair of interfitted annular shields, as 13 and 29, securedto one of the race rings cooperatively provide an annular groove, as 22,in which is mounted a yieldable sealing washer, as 24, that extends intolightly wiping sealing engagement with the other race ring.

In each of the illustrated embodiments, the sealing device is inunit-handling relation with an antirriction bearing. One of the racerings, as the outer race ring 14, has at each end an internally disposedperipherally extending groove 26 provided with a transversely roundedbottom wall merging with an annular shoulder 27 and with a divergingouter wall 28 that terminates in an annular land 29 having a diameterintermediate between that of the bottom of the groove and that of aninner cylindrical wall 30 of this outer race ring 14. The right hand endof the inner race ring 13 as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 has an annularnotch 34 provided with a generally cylindrical surface 35 and anannular, preferably fmsto-conical side face 36, the cylindrical surfaceand side face blending with an intermediate transversely curved surfaceof this notch.

In the embodiment at the right hand of Figure l and of Figure 2, theinner annular shield 13 which may be stamped out from suitable sheetmetal and bent to shape, is initially provided with a laterallyextending peripheral flange 38 arranged to fit within the annular land29 as shown in Figure 2. The substantially flat inner wall. of theshield 18 which seats against the shoulder 27 and extends into spacedrelation with the inner race ring 13, has intermediate of its width 21struck-out projection or rib disposed as an annular bulge 40 laterallyextending inwardly from the general plane of the shield towards theouter shield 29 and forming the annular bottom wall of theseal-receiving groove 22. The outer annular shield 20, which may bestamped out from suitable sheet metal and bent to shape, has acup-shaped peripheral portion 41 piloted on the annular bulge 4-0 andprovided with a radially outwardly extending annular flange 43 seatedagainst the fiat inner shield wall between the flange 33 and the bulgeiii. A generally radially extending wall 45 of the outer shield extendssubstantially parallel to the inner shield and into spaced relation withthe bottom of the inner shield notch 3'4.

The inner sealing washer 24, which may be made of felt, cork, syntheticrubber or other suitable lubricant impervious material, is grippedbetween the shields and extends out of the groove 22 in o lightly wipingdeformable sealing engagement with the side face 36 of the notch 34.This sealing washer is radially located by its en gagement with anannular inner shoulder on the bulge fill, and the inner sealing washerdiameter preferably exceeds the bottom diameter of the notch 3 so thatin the event of misalignment the sealing washer will remain in sealingengagement with the face 36. The side walls of the shields arepreferably bent slightly inwardly towards the bearing to urge thesealing washer into yieldable sealing engagement, and the innerperiphery of the outer shield is preferably provided with an annularlyextending offset portion 48 to allow for sealing washer deformation atthe sealing zone.

During assembly, with the parts in the positions illustrated in Figure2, the flange 38 is bent slightly radially inwardly as indicated at 38Aand a pilot ring 50 is temporarily pressed against the outer shield 29with this cylindrical pilot ring peripherally forming a continuation ofthe cylindrical offset of the cupped portion 41. A ram 52, slidahlypiloted on the ring 56 and having a lip 53 engaging the outer end of thebent-over flange 33, is forced inwardly causing the flange to curlradially out wardly into tightly seated permanent sealing relation inthe groove 26 with the outer end of this flange reenn'antly bentinwardly and firmly engaging the cupped portion 41 of the outer racering and holding the outer shield tightly seated against the innershield. To avoid possible distortion of the race ring which has thegroove 26, the lateral Width of the flange 38 is such that when curledinto position this flange will not bottom in the groove 2% but willtightly wedge against the side walls of the groove thereby firmlysecuring the seal unit-handling relation with the hearing.

In the embodiment at the left hand end of Figure l, a yieldablyresilient sealing washer 52, which may be composed of felt, cork,synthetic rubber or other suitable material impervious to lubricant, islocated within an annular groove 56 between inner and outer shields 57,53 generally corresponding to and mounted in the same mannor as theshield members 13 and 20. The side walls of these shields extend partway across the lubricant chamber 12 into closely surrounding spacedrelation with the race ring 13 and the sealing washer 54 radiallyprojects from this groove into lightly wiping sealing engagement with acylindrical periphery 59 of the race ring 13.

In the embodiment at the right hand end of Figure 3, the interlockedinner and outer shields 18 and 29 support 'riphery 59 of'this race ring.1

the annular sealing washer groove 22 a laminated sealingwasher'generallyindicated at 60 and which sealingly engagesthe race ring 13 within theannular notch 34 and which'also sealingly engages the cylindrical pe-The outer lamina of this sealing washer may be composed of a washer 62of felt, cork, synthetic rubber or other suitable yieldably resilientmaterial which is impervious to lubricant. The washer 62 is preferablysupplied on its inner face with a thin adhering coating 63 of a flexiblelubricant-impervious material preferably composed of a polyarnide resinthat is a reaction product of a dicarboxylic acid and a diamine andcommonly referred to as nylon and which has a very low coefiicient offriction when in relatively rotatable sealing engagement witha'lubricated surface on a race ring. The inner portion of the Washer 62laterally deforms to lightly and resiliently position the coating'63 insealing engagement with the side of notch 34. The

bore of this washer 62 preferably exceeds the diameter of the bottom ofthe notch 34 to allow for efiective sealing engagement even in the eventof misalignment of the race rings. The inner lamina of the sealingWasher 60 'may comprise a Washer 66 of synthetic rubber or othersuitable resiliently yieldable material which will not be deleteriouslyaffected by lubricant. This washer 66 is resiliently compressed betweenthe inner shield and the jnylon coatingand the inner periphery of thiswasher 66'is in light yieldable sealing contact with the cylindrical 7race ring surface 59. In the embodiment at the left of Figure 3, theouter shield member 20 extends into closely spaced relation with therace ring 13 within an annular notch 70. A laminated sealing washerwithin the annular seal-receiving groove 22 has its inner peripheries inlightly wiping seal- 7? ing engagement with the cylindrical race ringsurface 59. This sealing ,washer may comprise an outer Washer72 ofyieldable lubricant-impervious material as felt, cork or the like and aninherently resilient inner Washer 73 of synthetic rubber or a similarmaterial, the inner washer i 73 preferably being resiliently compressedbetween the V inner shield 18 and the outer washer 20.

I claim:

In a seal for closing the end of an annular lubricant one of which has acylindrical portion terminating in an annular notch, a pair of sheetmetal shields extending alongside the lubricant chamber, a flange on theinner shield securing the shields in assembled relation and secured toone of the relativeiy rotatable members, said shields cooperativelyproviding a groove opening onto said notch and onto said cylindricalportion, a laterally struck-out annular bulge on the iuner'shieldextending into the outer shield, a cupped portion of the outer shieldfitted over'said bulge and radially positioned thereby, said bulgeforming the bottom wall of said groove, a flange on the outer shieldseated against the bulge and located 7 in radially spaced relation tothe inner shield flange, a

laminated sealingwasher laterally gripped by the shields within saidgroove, the sealing washer including an annular yieldable member and anannular resilient member,

resinbonded to the yieldable member and sealingly engaging a side wallof said notch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,902,620 Cobb Mar. 21, 1933 1,917,988 Large July 11, 1933 2,029,072Hughes Jan. 28, 1936 2,054,580 Delaval-Crow Sept. 15, 1936 2,074,672Rogers Mar. 23, 1937 2,140,091 Murden Dec. 13, 1938 2,172,325 Victor etal Sept. 5, 1939 2,202,770 Brodin May 28, 1940 2,252,554 Carothers Aug;12, 1941. 2,320,794 Pew June 1, 1943 2,655,393 Cobb Oct. 13, 1953FOREIGN PATENTS 508,640 Great Britain of 1939 546,260 GreatBritain of1942 OTHER REFERENCES

